Russellville Junior High Westside head coach Jim Peters encourages the offensive line before the Whirlwinds’ match-up with the Clarksville Junior Panthers on Thursday at Cyclone Stadium. (THE COURIER / Travis Simpson)

Clarkville (2-1) moved quick after receiving the opening kickoff and scored in just seven plays. Rease Howard took it across the goal line from 17 yards out and after the 2-point conversion, the Whirlwinds trailed 8-0 with 4:28 left in the first quarter.

Westside (0-3) responded with a 10-play, 45-yard drive that devoured the rest of the quarter and put the Whirlwinds in the end zone at the 7:14 mark of the second quarter. Quarterback Ryan Meador improvised to the right side three times during the drive for a collective 25 yards before Caleb Stokes scored from the 17-yard line.

“We started out good,” Russellville head coach Jim Peters said. “Even though they scored, I thought we played well to start off. We marched down the field and we scored.”

But the Panthers’ answer was demoralizing.

Howard returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown and, after holding Westside to three-and-out, Juan Barrientos returned a punt for another touchdown. After adding both 2-point conversions, Clarksville jumped out to a 24-6 lead with 5:10 left in the first half.

“We just stopped after that,” Peters said. “They had those big plays like that, I mean, it just escalated from there and we never recovered.”

The Junior Panthers weren’t quite finished. After shutting down the next Russellville drive, Clarksville scored moments before the break on a reverse to make it 32-6 going into the third quarter.

The Whirlwinds received the opening kick of the second half, but three plays later and the offense was on the sideline. The Junior Panthers took over on the Russellville 43 and went to work, mostly on the ground. Clarksville quarterback Max White didn’t run around the Westside defense – he ran through it. But the Junior Panthers met a wall at the Whirlwinds 15-yard line.

Rhett Barker hit the ball-carrier 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage for a loss. Clarksville never recovered and was forced to punt.

Both teams were silent offensively on the next series, but the Junior Panthers consumed two minutes from the clock. To compound matters for the Whirlwinds, Meador tossed an interception with 2:12 left in the game to give Clarksville the ball on the Russellville 35.

The Junior Panthers used the opportunity to melt the rest of the time off the clock and take home the victory.

Peters said blocking up front was a major issue for the West.

“Meador is back there doing everything he can, and we just aren’t blocking for him,” Peters said. “Blocking up front has got to get better.”

Westside will host Morrilton on Thursday in a rematch. The Devil Pups defeated The Whirlwinds 42-6 in Week 2.